Why I Stay
by GinnyL97
Summary: Erik said he only stayed to help rebuild the school. Charles doesn't believe that for a second. (Just a little idea that I had. And of course I don't own the X-men)


**Just a little thing I imagined would've happened if Erik actually had stayed. And of course I don't own the X-men. Just playing around a bit**

* * *

It was a lovely day outside. It seemed like October had decided to show itself at the most beautiful and it was using all the tricks in the book. The crisp, clear air, the orange sunset and the colorful leaves, showing off in orange, red and yellow. It truly was a magnificent evening.

Erik Lehnsherr, however, had no intentions to enjoy it, or what was rest of it anyway. His eyes and focus was solely on the black and white pieces in front of him. Chess, one of his favorite time consuming activities, was a delicate game. A game for gentlemen, although Erik wasn't exactly gentle. You had to have a strategy, a plan, a mind able to think two steps ahead and to understand your opponents. He moved his knight in an attempt to trap the black bishop.

Charles considered Eriks move for a bit and took one of the white pawns with his rock. Erik had chosen to sacrifice that pawn anyway.

"It's odd, you know" Charles mumbled slightly without looking up. "I thought you would've taught this to Peter by now, you don't need me to play anymore"

Erik snorted, probably a sound that was undignified for a person like him, but he made it nonetheless.

"I tried, and he also tried for short period of time" _Three minutes_ "But it was not meant to be I'm afraid" he said. Charles looked up this time. A curious eyebrow slightly raised.

"Oh?"

"The world is already to slow for him, chess really dragged it out. He started cheating to make things more entertaining the moment he learned how to do so undetected" Erik successfully captured Charles' bishop.

"And how was that?"

"He moved the pieces to quickly for me see in between turns. Not obvious changes but a few here and there. He had thirty minutes of good fun before I caught him"

Charles hummed slightly and considered his options. Erik understood the other mans question without hearing it voiced.

"My remaining bishop had started out at a white square. Suddenly it was standing on a black one."

His boyfriend chuckled. "But he did manage to capture one of them, didn't he?"

Erik scowled at him. "As I said he was cheating. And I sacrificed that bishop on purpose anyway to get his rock" To make the statement even more impressive and clear he took out one of Charles' pawns just for fun. It put one of his own pawns in danger but honestly, it was a pawn. He could win without it.

"Yes, well, you spent time together at least" Charles said and looked up at Erik with a slight smile. The other man rolled his eyes.

"For the last time Charles, I stayed to help rebuild the school. The boy has next to nothing to do with the fact that I'm still here" He sent the telepath an annoyed glance, one he got i return.

"The school is rebuild, Erik. And here you still are, over a year later, playing chess with your dear boyfriend and reconnecting with your only son. A day doesn't pass by without you and Peter spending time together. The rest of the school might think that you stay only because you have nowhere else to go, but do not think you can fool me, dear. And to not think you can fool your son either.

Erik was silent for a while, pretending to be considering his next move. Which was stupid, by the way, anyone with the slightest bit of knowledge of chess could see that he was a few moves away from victory.

"He doesn't fill the gap thats there but, he makes it a bit easier to deal with. And they have the same eyes, and the same frown when they think to hard. Of course I would stay with him" he said. God help him if something happened to Peter too. His world crumbled every time someone close to him died. If something happened to his son he doubted even Charles could pull him out of that misery. He hadn't been able to before.

"I like to think you stayed a bit for my sake too" Charles said under his breath, feigning hurt. Erik rolled his eyes.

"Of course I did, Charles. The sex is wonderful after all"

Charles looked up and opened his mouth, most likely to come with a witty reply, but his voice got cut off by another one from the door.

"Eww, dad! I did not need to know that!" Peters disgusted face (and the rest of him) appeared in the doorway. Erik looked at him with mild amusement.

"Well, you shouldn't eavesdrop then" He deadpanned. If Peter had been ten then maybe this would be a bigger crisis. But he was twenty seven. He knew about the birds and the bees and probably more than that too. Erik was about to voice these thoughts, but Charles spoke first.

"Is there anything you wanted?" he cut in. Kind eyes regarded the young man in the doorway.

"Not really, just wanted to see if you were busy" Peter shrugged and looked at his father. Erik took that as his cue to put Charles in a quick checkmate and end the game. He gave Peter a smile.

"Not too busy, no. Did you have anything in mind?" Again Peter answered with a shrug.

"Perhaps we would all benefit from some food before it's time for bed" Charles said. Erik silently thanked the man. He himself was an somewhat emotional stunted man, that he knew perfectly well. Combine that with Peters willingness to always please those around him and they ended up often not really knowing what to do, even though they both wanted the same things. He stood from the chess table and walked over to his son.

"Pancakes them, I presume?" he asked. Why anyone would eat breakfast food in the evening was beyond him, but Peter was Peter after all. A lot of things about his son was beyond him.

"You know me too well, Dadneto" Peter said, using the nickname Erik couldn't figure out if he hated or loved, both with a burning passion. The elder lead his son out of the study with an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

"Coming, Charles?" Erik asked.

Charles smiled and wheeled himself after the father/son pair. Erik shot a brief glance at his boyfriend coming up by his left side, before looking down at his son on his other side. Never, in his wildest dreams had he thought he would experience this again. Having someone to love with his whole heart, having a child to take care of, even if said child really was a grown up.

Yes, he decided. He would alway stay for these two.


End file.
